Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Zachary Oren Smith

@zacharyos.bsky.social

1.5K followers 85 following 310 posts

Just your friendly neighborhood reporter ● Writes about Iowa politics for @iastartingline ● Host of Cornhole Champions, your new fav Iowa podcast

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Jun 25

Ottumwa, Iowa's Job Corps is a success story: 94% job placement rate, stable housing for at-risk youth, economic driver for small towns.

Trump's response? Shut it down.

This is about more than one program—it's about abandoning communities that need us most.

1 5 9

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · 20d

1 3

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · 20d

I thought I was spiking the ball.

a cartoon mouse in a diaper is sitting on a blue stool and holding a towel that says dunce .

ALT: a cartoon mouse in a diaper is sitting on a blue stool and holding a towel that says dunce .

media.tenor.com

1 1

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · 20d

does the moth not yearn for the flame

Frank Bannister @frankbannister.bsky.social · 20d

Zach.

ZACH.

You don't have to set your hot takes to lava.

Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith

Frank Bannister @frankbannister.bsky.social · 20d

First the corn sweats. Then it comes for you in every gas station parking lot.

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · 20d

The woke mob came for me. My takes are on life support. clinging to life.

1 1 1

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · 20d

Some people want to watch the world burn… and for my next cold open… maybe that’s a good thing???

1 1

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · 20d

The woke mob came for me. My takes are on life support. clinging to life.

4 3

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · 21d

WHITVER TO RETIRE - Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, a Republican from Grimes, will not run for reelection. He said he’ll continue to see as Leader until Senate Republicans meet to select a new leader in the “near future.”

Here’s the full release:

1 4

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · 27d

In response to the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags at half-staff immediately until Sunday in conjunction with President Donald Trump’s flag order.

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Sep 4

UPDATE: It’s private now.

2 2 11

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Sep 4

NUNN TOWN HALL - IA-03 US Rep. Zach Nunn to hold a town hall at 1 p.m. tomorrow in Jefferson. This after calling them a “taxpayer-funded protest event."

It’s being held at Gravitate Coworking (204 E State St, Jefferson, IA 50129)
www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2025/09/04/c...

Congressman Nunn to Stop in Jefferson Tomorrow

Iowa’s Third Congressional District Representative will be in Jefferson tomorrow. Congressman Zach Nunn says following a visit with elected officials in Greene County and with some of the local…

www.raccoonvalleyradio.com

2 3

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Sep 4

Truly

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Sep 4

DVIP+RVAP LEADERSHIP CHANGE - DVIP & RVAP have chosen Alta Medea and Delaney Dixon to lead the organization that serves those impacted by domestic and sexual violence for Cedar, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Johnson, Lee, Van Buren, and Washington counties.

1 3

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Sep 2

HINSON 4 SENATE - Republican US Rep. Ashley Hinson to run for US Sen. Joni Ernst’s seat. Ernst announced today that she would not run for reelection.

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Sep 2

👀👀👀

1 1

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Sep 2

ERNST TO RETIRE - Today, US SEN. Joni Ernst announced she will not run for reelection in 2026. Full video from twitter:

1 1 8

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Aug 29

*got my races swapped in an earlier tweet. Deleted and reposted with correction.

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Aug 29

Source pointed out Iowa rarely has an open US Senate seat. This would be the third in the last half century, providing retirement report is true:

🗳️2026 - ???
🗳️2014 - Tom Harkin retires. Ernst wins. (D➡️R)
🗳️1974 - Harold Hughes retires. Culver* wins. (D➡️D)

1 1 3

Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith

Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · Aug 27

What a way to start the day! @zacharyos.bsky.social and I spoke to the woman of the hour, State Senator-elect Catelin Drey, and Iowa Senate Dem leader @janice4iowa.bsky.social about how they pulled off a big win in a Trump+11 district.
laurabelin.substack.com/p/iowa-senat...

Iowa Senate special election results (ZOS X Laura Belin)

A recording from Laura Belin and Zachary Oren Smith's live video

laurabelin.substack.com

5 34 160

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Aug 27

Honestly a withering way to get started… 🙃🙃🙃

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Aug 27

We're getting started in 15. Join me and Bleeding Heartland's Laura Belin to talk about last night's special election results... with special guest...

Senator-elect Catelin Drey. Toss some bags with us at 8 a.m. open.substack.com/live-stream/...

LIVE SOON: IA Senate Special Election Results (ZOS X Laura Belin)

Starting Aug 27 at 9:00 AM EDT

open.substack.com

1 4

Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith

Amie Rivers @amierivers.bsky.social · Aug 27

ISL shoutout!

The Briefing with Jen Psaki @briefingwithpsaki.bsky.social · Aug 27

BREAKING: Iowa Democrat Catelin Drey breaks state Republican supermajority with Senate special election win

2 13

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Aug 27

💜💜💜

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Aug 27

There’s literally not another two people that I want to hear from right now about this special election:
- Catelin Drey, the winning Democrat
- AND Laura Belin of Bleeding Heartland.

Join me tomorrow at 8 a.m. CT to walk through what happened tonight. open.substack.com/live-stream/...?

3 18

Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith

J.D. Scholten @jdscholten.bsky.social · Aug 27

Jackson Street is where folks are at tonight for those in Sioux City. (I’m in the clubhouse at the X’s game).

1 4

Reposted by Zachary Oren Smith

Laura Belin @laurarbelin.bsky.social · Aug 26

That's 8 a.m. Central time, Wednesday, August 27.

Zachary Oren Smith @zacharyos.bsky.social · Aug 26

Join me tomorrow morning. The great @laurarbelin.bsky.social and I will be breaking down the results of tonight's special election in Sioux City for Iowa Senate District 1:
🔵 Catelin Drey
🔴 Christopher Prosch

We'll go live at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning on my Substack. Link in the bio.

4 15